Incoming Tigers

Published July 17, 2016
Interviews by Brittany King and Erik Potter
Photos by Mikala Compton

Summer 2016 at Mizzou has brought us record-breaking summer school enrollment, more than 100 campus Pokéstops and, thanks to Summer Welcome, a chance to meet the newest members of the Mizzou family. Get to know the Tigers who will share the campus with us in the fall: incoming freshmen making up the class of 2020 and transfer students wise enough to make the move to Mizzou. We could not be more excited to have you here, new friends. See you at Tiger Walk!

#tigersofmizzou: Megan Fair has a simple explanation for choosing Mizzou: “Go big or go home.” Originally from Marshfield, Missouri, a town with a population of fewer than 7,000 people, she decided a big college town, with a lot of school spirit, was the perfect place to spend her college years. It also helps that her sister is a Mizzou junior; Fair expects to see her the most when she wants to get swiped into a dining hall. The freshman will start school in August undeclared. “I don’t know what I’m doing with my life,” she admits. “It’s a little bit concerning. But it’s not that I don’t have any interests; it’s that I’ve got too many.” Luckily, she’s been able to get great advice from those closest to her. “I’ve been told to get involved and not stress too hard about where I’m supposed to be just yet,” and that’s exactly what she plans to do. ✏ by @heyitsbkay, 📷 by @mikalacomp

A photo posted by Mizzou (@mizzou) on Jul 27, 2016 at 11:14am PDT

#TigersOfMizzou: Coming from small town Camdenton, Missouri, Sadie Osment is excited to be somewhere bigger where there’s more going on. “I’m definitely looking forward to the college experience,” she says. “I’m excited to be at this big school and see different cultures and meet different people from different backgrounds.” The junior human development and family science major isn’t sure what she’ll get involved in at Mizzou, but she likes having so many options. “Every day there’s a different activity and a different way to get involved. I love that.” ✏️ by @heyitsbkay, 📷 by @mikalacomp.

A photo posted by Mizzou (@mizzou) on Jul 20, 2016 at 8:52am PDT

The Venn diagram of schools Luke Hutchinson was interested in essentially drew one big circle around Columbia. Hutchinson, from Arietta, Georgia, is a high-caliber wheelchair basketball player (Mizzou is one of a handful of schools who participate in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association) and an aspiring sports broadcaster (@mujschool ranks at or near the top in the country). Also, the stir fry at Plaza 900 blew away every other school cafeteria he'd visited. Because he's "all in — there's no halfway," you'll see him rolling around campus this fall in a Mizzou hat, shirt and special-order black-and-gold wheelchair. ✏️ by Erik Potter, 📷 by @mikalacomp. #TigersOfMizzou

A photo posted by Mizzou (@mizzou) on Jul 18, 2016 at 8:39am PDT

Tigers of Mizzou: Maia Coyne always knew she wanted to go to a four-year college, but she didn’t know she’d end up at Mizzou, 350 miles away from her home town of Naperville, Illinois. “I’m a little nervous, but luckily I have family close by,” the health professions major says. While on campus her goal is to connect with as many people as possible. She plans to rush a sorority in the fall and get involved with one of the more than 800 organizations on campus, too. ✏️ by @heyitsbkay, 📷 by @mikalacomp.

A photo posted by Mizzou (@mizzou) on Jun 22, 2016 at 12:33pm PDT

With Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan close by, Ali Best, a Bloomington, Illinois, native still picked Mizzou. “Mizzou is far enough away from home,” she says, “but I can still get back if I need to.” Now that she’s a Tiger, Best wants to focus on making her dream of becoming a forensic accountant come true. She believes majoring in accounting is a good first step. But she isn’t about all work and no play. She hopes to join the club softball team and to “inspire other students to branch out of their comfort zone.” ✏️ by @heyitsbkay, 📷 by @mikalacomp. #TigersOfMizzou

A photo posted by Mizzou (@mizzou) on Jul 14, 2016 at 9:16am PDT

Tigers of Mizzou: The first time Abby Walden stepped on campus, she was immediately blown away and knew one day she would call it home. Mizzou’s journalism school, the best in the country, made her decision even easier. Walden’s passion for journalism started in her high school yearbook class. Her time as the editor — good and bad — sparked her interest in a career in reporting the truth. “I went through a bad experience with a teacher who was not following journalistic standards of integrity,” she says. “That experience pushed me more into journalism. I don’t want other kids to experience things like that.” We’re excited for the Mountain Home, Arkansas, native to join our Mizzou family. ✏️ by @heyitsbkay, 📷 by @mikalacomp.

A photo posted by Mizzou (@mizzou) on Jul 15, 2016 at 1:11pm PDT

Tigers of Mizzou: Some students get overwhelmed by Mizzou’s big campus, but O’Fallon, Missouri, native Imani Allen can’t wait to explore all that campus has to offer. She’s already set some pretty big goals for when she starts school in the fall. “I want to make the lives of people here better; I want to make people happier,” she says. “I like helping people, and I love science, healthcare and medicine.” Majoring in nursing was an easy choice. ✏️ by @heyitsbkay, 📷 by @mikalacomp.

A photo posted by Mizzou (@mizzou) on Jul 7, 2016 at 11:59am PDT

Tigers of Mizzou: Neal Quinn has spent the past two years in Texas. The Kansas City, Missouri, native is excited not only to attend a school closer to home but also to be enrolled in a program that will give him the tools to succeed in his future endeavors. “I’m most excited about my major,” he says. “I’ve been an engineering major at TCU for a year and haven’t been able to take any classes that have to do with my major. I’m excited that I’ll actually be able to progress now.” Quinn isn’t positive what his impact will be while at Mizzou, but he does know he doesn’t want to limit it to just campus; he wants to change the world. ✏️ by @heyitsbkay 📷 by @mikalacomp.

A photo posted by Mizzou (@mizzou) on Jun 20, 2016 at 12:56pm PDT